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China tops medal table as Sheetal Devi defends Asian Para Games title

24 October 2026

Aichi-Nagoya (Japan)

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China made a strong impression at the Asian Para Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, topping the para archery medal table with nine gold, four silver and six bronze medals and winning medals across every event.

The compound men’s final delivered one of the week’s closest contests.

China’s Xinliang Ai and Iran’s Amirmohammad Barani finished level at 144 points after a tight match, with Ai taking gold in the shoot-off.

Ai Xinliang, the 2018 Asian Para Games gold medallist, took an early lead with 29 to Barani’s 27, but the Iranian hit a perfect 30 in the second set to keep the contest tight. Both archers scored 29 in each of the next two sets, before Barani’s 29 to Ai’s 28 in the final set forced a 144-144 tie. With gold on the line, Ai held his nerve in the shoot-off, hitting a 10 to Barani’s nine to claim the title.

China’s Yicheng Zhang took bronze after defeating India’s Toman Kumar.

In the women’s compound final, defending champion Sheetal Devi recovered from a difficult second set to defeat Singapore’s Nur Syahidah Alim 142-139.

After opening with 29 points apiece, Devi scored 26 as Alim shot a perfect 30. The Indian responded with a perfect 30 in the next set, then held her advantage through the final two sets to retain her title. China’s Xueqing Xu won bronze.

Devi returned to the podium in the compound mixed team event, where she and fellow world number one Toman Kumar defeated Indonesia 151-148 for gold.

India took an early lead with 38 points to Indonesia’s 37, then extended the advantage with a 39-36 second set. Indonesia fought back in the third, scoring 37 to India’s 36, but both teams finished with 38 in the final set as India secured a 151-148 victory.

China also enjoyed success in the compound women's doubles. Xueqing Xu and Jing Zhao defeated India’s Devi and Payal Nag 150-141 to win the women’s title, with Thailand taking bronze.

The Chinese pair’s victory reflected a partnership built over many years.

“We have been good friends for more than 10 years and have trained together for six years. Since joining the team, we have practically been inseparable,” Xu said. “We eat together and sleep together.”

Zhao said she focused on her own performance and trusted her partner to do the same.

“During the final, my only thought was to focus on myself, stay in the present and do what I needed to do. I tried to make as few mistakes as possible,” she said. “I trust my partner. I just needed to focus on doing my part well.”.

China swept both W1 individual titles, with Pan Li beating defending champion Tianxin Zhang for men’s gold. Kazakhstan’s Nurshat Toleukassym took bronze. In the women’s event, Mengkan Cen claimed gold ahead of India’s Swati Chaudhary, who secured India’s first medal in the category, while Korea’s Ok Geum Kim finished third.

Korea’s Geonhwi Kwak took the recurve men’s title, defeating China’s Lixue Zhao, with teammate Duo Yun claiming bronze. China also topped the recurve women’s podium, as Zihan Gao beat Mongolia’s Selengee Demberel for gold. Xueqian Wang completed the podium with bronze.

Image courtesy of the Asian Paralympic Committee.